Skirt



G. GOHN.

(No Model.)

SKIRT.

No 575,501. P 5511555 Jan. 195.1897.

no: mums PETERS 0o. Pqmauma. wwmr-Yon. u. c.

- to adapt itself to different figures.

' UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

CHARLES COHN, OEBALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

SKIRT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,501, dated January 19, 1897.

Application filed August 1, 1896.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES CoHN, of the city of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ladies Skirts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view of a ladys skirt with my improvements applied thereto. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are detail views illustrating said improvements.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

The design of my invention is to. provide certain new and useful improvements in ladies skirts and to this end my invention consists in the skirt constructed and arranged as hereinafter shown and described,and more especially pointed out in the claims.

In the carrying of my invention into practice I employ a ladys skirt A, to the upper edge of which I secure, by stitching in the usual manner, a divided or sectional belt or waistband B. The rear division I) of said belt coincides with the ordinary placket-opening,while the divisions b and b are disposed at the sides thereof in position to lie upon the hips of the wearer. Secured within pockets formed in the meeting edges of each division-b and b is a'strip of elastic material biwhich serves to hold the said meeting edges Y normally in juxtaposition and at the same time affording means whereby, when neces-, sary, the said belt or band can be expanded The inclosing of the elastic strip in the open ends or pockets of the sectional waistband serves to protect such strip from undue wear, and also allows of the use of a strip of such length as to produce a connection that is capable of great elasticity. Just below and in line with the divisions Z) and b of the belt B the upper portion of the skirt for a short distance is also divided, as shown in the drawings at a. These divisions a I preferably form in the seams between two breadths of the skirt, and to the edges of which I secure an elastic cord O,whose object is to hold said divisions yieldingly together.

The divisions 1), b and a I preferably dispose so as to be in position to lie upon the Serial No. 601,305. (No model.)

hips of the wearer,where,under tension,they cling to the figure and aid materially to hold the skirt firmly in its place upon the wearer.

In manufacturing ladies skirts, although the length of the garment may be made exact, it is impossible to change the waist measure without damaging the setting of the skirt. IVith my improvements, expanding the same on both sides counteracts this difficulty and consequently changes neither the setting of the front nor back of the garment.

Secured, preferably, by stitching to the interior of the skirt and adjacent to the yielding divisions in'skirt and belt is a tab or ornamental piece D, that is adapted to cover and conceal the said divisions and at the same time serve as an ornament to the garment. This tab or ornamental piece, from the point where it is stitched to the garment, as shown at d, extends upward and over the belt and thence downward to a point below the divisions b, 12 and a, where it is removably secured by means of a button-and-buttonhole fastener.

In the placket-openingof the skirt A, I secure a reinforcing continuous strip E, of

strong material, that extends around the entire opening and is stitched thereto except at the point e, where it is left free. This free or unstitched portion eof the strip E, together with the skirt material a lying adjacent thereto, forms the mouth of a pocket 6, and to these parts the pocket 6 is suitably secured. This pocket, as shown, is located in the placket-openingand can be readily and easily reached with the right hand of the wearer, is invisible, and does not affect or alter the setting of the skirt.

A pocket is a much-needed article in womans wear and one which is now almost discarded, as all dressmakers claim the pocket cannot be put in a skirt without causing a change in the setting of the same. In my arrangement this difficulty is entirely removed, as the pocket is located and arranged where it is invisible and does no harm to the setting or appearance of the garment.

In order to securely close the placket-opening, I provide the same with a fastening device that when in use is entirely concealed from view. This fastener consists of buttons G and buttonholes H, the buttons being secured to the inner fold of the reinforcingstrip and the buttonholes located in and ex tending through the free or unstitched portion of the outer fold thereof, so that when fastened the buttons project through said free portion into the pocket-opening, where they can be readily reached when desired.

By the use of my fastener the placket-opening is closed, so as to insure it against all danger of coming open when the skirt is raised or when the wearer sits down.

These improvements are equally applicable on all styles of dress and under skirts,whether plain or ornamented.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. As a new article of manufacture, aladys skirt, having within its placket a reinforcingstrip, the inner fold of which is stitched to the inner fold of the placket, throughout its entire length, while the outer fold is stitched only at the top and bottom, leaving the remaining portion of said outer fold free or unstitched, which free portion together with the outer fold of the placket, constitutes apocketopening, in which a pocket is secured, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

2. As a newarticle of manufacture, aladys skirt having within its placket, a reinforcingstrip, the inner fold of which is stitched to the inner fold of the placket, throughout its entire length, while the outer fold is stitched only at the top and bottom, leaving the remaining portion of the strip free or unstitched, which free portion together with the outer fold of the placket, constitutes a pocket-opening, in which a pocket is secured, and a placket-fastener consisting of buttons secured to the inner fold of the reinforcing-strip and buttonholes provided in the free portion of the outer fold thereof, that extend through said strip, so that when the fastener is in use, the buttons will lie in the mouth of the pocket, substantially as and for the purpose de scribed.

A ladys skirt having a waistband, the

band being divided into three sections, the rear division registering with the placketopening and having a fastening device, the two other or side divisions being provided with pockets in their meeting ends, which receive and contain a strip of elastic material, whose ends are fastened therein some distance away from the said meeting ends, the skirt having its side seams immediately be low and in line with the side divisions of the band open for a short distance and provided with small elastic cords, that act in conj unction with the elastic strip in the band-divisions to form a yielding connection between the divided parts, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A ladys skirt having a waistband, the band being divided into three sections, each of which is constructed of a single piece of material, which is folded to form a double band, between the lower edges of which is stitched the upper part of the skirt, the rear division registering with the placket-opening and being provided with a fastening device, the two other divisions being so disposed as to lie upon the hips of the wearer and having a strip of elastic material extending between and into the double band-sections, where its ends are securely fastened some distance away from the ends of such divisions, the skirt having its side seams immediately below and in line with side divisions of the band open for a short distance and provided with small elastic cords, which act in conjunction with the elastic strips in the band, to form a yielding connection between such parts, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto set my hand this 30th day of July, 1896.

CHARLES COI'IN.

\Vitnesses:

MAX HOLLANDER, GEO. G. PERRY. 

